For the last six months I’ve been using my RecoveryPump every day as part of my training and recovery regime. RecoveryPump is a compression recovery tool for athletes, but it also has been used in hospitals to treat a host of leg and circulation problems. It’s well worth the investment.

The RecoveryPump helps reduce my recovery time and helps my legs feel fresher for my next workout. It combines passive and active recovery by using sequential compression to temporarily increase venous return/flow from the veins in your legs. This helps to flush metabolic waste from your extremities that build up during training. When I’m using my RecoveryPump, my legs are flushed automatically without having to move from my couch. In fact, I’m actually using my RecoveryPump as I write this article (no joke!). RecoveryPump.com has more information as well as the research and science behind this amazing system.

Wheels and Bearings Race wheels can be very expensive, but if you have the money, they’re one of the best investments you can make. And if purchasing your own is out of the question, some companies will let you rent wheels for race day.

If you own race wheels, then it’s worth the extra money and effort to have a bicycle mechanic look at your bearings. If the wheels are not the highest end, or are a few years old, then try replacing the bearings — this can be a huge help on race day. Ceramic bearings are the best, but also exorbitantly expensive. Bearing companies now make hybrid bearings of metals and ceramics. These are a fraction of the price of full ceramic bearings and are faster than your standard set.

I remember seeing my first aero-helmets at races many years ago. I thought they were a ridiculous-looking fad. Since then, their aerodynamic benefits have forced me to put aside my reservations towards about the aesthetics.The truth is that they work. In a time trial, you’ll have a decided aerodynamic advantage and consequently a faster bike time versus a traditional bicycle helmet. The amount of time savings varies depending on the race course, wind conditions, how much time you spend in the aero position and how often you look down (which pops the helmet’s tail into the air creating a lot of drag).

If you plan on racing fairly frequently, it’s a good investment to look into a higher-end wetsuit and speedsuit. Wetsuits are made from neoprene rubber and used for colder-water races. Speedsuits are made of a textile material like lycra with a hydro-phobic coating. Because speedsuits do not offer any warmth, they’re best for warmer-water races. Wetsuits keep you warm and are also very buoyant, which makes most swimmers faster.

However, not all wetsuits are the same. First, you want to make sure you have a great fit on your wetsuit. Too tight and you’ll find it constricting, too loose and excess water seeps in. The higher-end wetsuits will have flexible, thinner neoprene on the shoulders and arms to allow less restrictive movement. They’ll also have a better coating on the exterior, making them faster in the water. If you have the money, a higher-end wetsuit can be a great investment.

A speedsuit will improve your speed in the non-wetsuit swims because of their material and design. The second major advantage of a speedsuit is that you can wear your triathlon top under it. If you don’t have a speedsuit, you either have to swim with a triathlon top, which creates a lot of drag and will definitely slow you down, or you have to take the time in transition to try to put on a top. Trust me, trying to squeeze into a tiny top while you’re soaking wet and out of breath is a cumbersome task. Speedsuits slide right off, adding almost no time to your transition. I swim in the Xterra Vendetta wetsuit and the Xterra Velocity M speedsuit.

Common Household Items & Tricks of the Trade

1) Rubber bands: To reduce my transition time, I use small rubber bands to keep my shoes level while they’re clipped into the pedals before I ride. I loop a rubber band through the heel loop on the triathlon bike shoe and then hook the other side to the top of the front derailleur (for the bike’s right side). On the other shoe, I hook the rubber band to the quick release on the rear skewer. This keeps the pedals at the three and nine o’clock positions and the shoes flat and level when I run out of transition. This also prevents the shoes from catching on the ground. Then, when it’s time to mount the bike, the rubber bands keep the shoes level so I can put my feet on top of the shoes and start pedaling. As soon as I pedal one revolution, the rubber band breaks off. Once I’m up to speed, I take the time to slide my feet into the shoes. This saves a lot of time in transition versus putting on your shoes and trying to run in your bike cleats.

2) Petroleum Jelly: If the race is shorter than a full-Ironman, I don’t wear socks because the time it takes to put them on is wasted if I’m running 13.1 miles or less. Petroleum jelly is the secret to preventing blisters during these runs. While I’m setting up my transition area in the morning, I apply liberal amounts throughout the inside of my running shoes, making sure to cover all the areas where I may chafe. You may think this would feel gross, squishing around on the run, but it’s almost never noticeable. With this method, I get very few blisters and chafing spots in half Ironman and shorter races.

3) Electrical Tape: One of the most important items to keep in your race bag is a roll of electrical tape. I use it in some capacity in almost every race, whether it’s to secure my front aero-water bottle, to fasten PowerBar gels to my bike or to secure my race number, it’s a good idea to have a roll handy at all races.

4) Safety Pin: A common fear for athletes is to have the timing chip torn from his or her ankle during the swim. Most timing chip ankle bands are made of strips of neoprene with Velcro fasteners. I keep a small bag of safety pins in my race bag and always use one to pin the Velcro strap together. This will keep the chip strap secured much better if the strap is inadvertently snagged during the swim.

5) Swimming Goggles: I always keep two sets of new swimming goggles in my race bag: one dark or tinted and the other clear. This is because I rarely know the lighting conditions before race morning. I’ve been in swim waves sent off in the pitch dark and I’ve had to swim directly into the blinding rising sun. It’s always good to have a couple options for goggles to adjust for different lighting situations.

When Less Equipment Can Be Better

One mistake I often see at races is athletes loading up their bikes with too many water bottles. If you’ve spent a lot of money to buy a high-end bike, why weigh it down with four to five water bottles? If it’s a shorter sprint or Olympic-distance race, determine how much fluid you’re going to drink on the bike, and then carry only that amount. For a half or full Ironman, make a hydration plan that includes using some of the fluids that will be handed out on the course. If you have a special drink or mixture, carry just that amount with you and pick up the rest of the fluids as you go.

Triathletes tend to overload themselves with gear for the run portion of the race, but I’m a minimalist. If the Kenyans aren’t carrying excess equipment, then why should I? Starting the run, I put on my race belt with my race number (because it’s required), then I tuck a small zip-lock baggy of electrolyte pills into my jersey pocket and carry one or two PowerBar gels. I pick up the rest of my gels and fluids as I go on the course. Streamlining your running equipment will let you have a simpler, faster run.